Bhubaneswar: Soon after formation of the new BJD Government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department has issued notification for the enhancement of the ongoing flagship KALIA Scheme by including additional 32.34 lakh farmers as beneficiaries and has allocated Rs 3234 crore funds for implementation.

The Gazette notification on June 1, 2019 states, “It has been now decided that a further additional 32.34 lakh (7.5 lakh + 24.84 lakh) small farmers/marginal farmers/actual cultivators (share croppers/landless agricultural households be included in the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme during 2019-20, apart from the farm families already assisted in 2018-19, so that no one who is eligible will be left out.”

It adds, “Thus a total of 75 lakh farm families will be included in the KALIA scheme so that no one who is eligible will be left out. Out of this 50 lakh will be small farmers/marginal farmers/actual cultivators (share croppers) and the balance 25 lakh will be landless agricultural households, which could be modified between the categories by the Government subject to the overall target under these two components for the 75 lakh farm families.”

The notification further adds, “The funds required for 2019-20 is estimated to be Rs 3234 crore excluding the administrative cost for the 32.34 lakh farmers/landless agricultural households, in addition to the funds already approved for the existing beneficiaries under KALIA scheme.”

Notably, the State Cabinet in its first meeting held on 29th May, 2019 has approved the proposal for modification of KALIA scheme. Even BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had promised so during his electioneering. Also it was in the top of the agenda in BJD’s party manifesto.